When was the yellow fever epidemic in Memphis?

In late summer of 1878, Memphis was gripped by an epidemic that took the lives of more than 5,000 citizens and eventually bankrupted the city. The first death officially attributed to yellow fever in Memphis during the epidemic of 1878 occurred on August 13.

How did the yellow fever affect Memphis?

Yellow fever exacerbated the already dismal financial situation in the city to the point that the legislature revoked the Memphis city charter in 1879. The fever also contributed to substantial declines in the Irish and German communities as well as the general population.

When was the last outbreak of yellow fever in the United States?

The last outbreak of yellow fever in the United States occurred in 1905, when New Orleans, Louisiana, and other ports of the South were invaded. U.S. Army surgeon William Crawford Gorgas conducted experiments on the transmission of yellow fever by mosquitoes.

When was the worst yellow fever outbreak?

The virus affects multiple organ systems and causes internal bleeding; it can be fatal. Yellow fever broke out in Boston in 1693, Philadelphia in 1793 and Norfolk, Virginia in 1855, but the worst American outbreak of yellow fever occurred in the Mississippi River Valley in 1878.

Is the yellow fever still around today?

Over the last 20 years, the numbers of YF epidemics have risen and more countries are reporting cases. There is still a large susceptible, unvaccinated population in both Africa and the Americas.

How many people died from yellow fever in Memphis Tennessee?

Yellow Fever Burials: During the outbreaks of Yellow Fever there were over 5,000 fatalities in the city. Some 2500 of the Memphis victims are buried in four public lots at Elmwood; among them are doctors, ministers, nuns, and even prostitutes who died tending to the sick.

How did yellow fever go away?

The yellow fever epidemic was over. After World War II, the world had DDT in its arsenal of mosquito control measures, and mosquito eradication became the primary method of controlling yellow fever.

How did yellow fever stop?

After World War II, the world had DDT in its arsenal of mosquito control measures, and mosquito eradication became the primary method of controlling yellow fever.

How was a vaccine for yellow fever developed?

How is the yellow fever vaccine made? The yellow fever vaccine is made by growing yellow fever virus in mouse embryo cells and in chick embryo cells. The final preparation of the vaccine is made in eggs. Growing yellow fever virus in mouse and chick cells over and over again weakened it.